Linc

This  'A'  stamp was all ready for last week, but it seems Olympic fever took hold and it wasn't until late that I realized I never actually posted it.
But, no worries, for Mr Alexander is being honoured by Canada Post for Black History Month.

"I'm proud of being black, but my role in Canada is to serve all the people. I'm a Canadian. Period."

Lincoln Alexander, who died in 2012 at age 90, was a big man (6'3"), full of humour with a booming voice who seemed to be friends with everyone across all social groups and political parties.

Among his many accomplishments were some notable firsts: the first black Member of Parliament, the first black federal cabinet minister, and first black Lieutenant Governor. He was arguably the most popular and beloved Lieutenant Governor of Ontario - he was even voted as the greatest Hamiltonian of all time by a poll in the city he spent most of his life.  He had buildings, schools and even a highway named after him which he found particularly amusing as he never had a driver's license. The Lincoln Alexander Expressway is always called the Linc, just as he always wanted everyone to call him.

For Sunday Stamps, a combo A & B

issued February 2018

zamboni

There are seven Canadian teams in the National Hockey League and in 2014 stamps were issued with each team's logo on the Zamboni and centre ice.

The Zamboni is an ice resurfacer that was first manufactured in 1949 by a guy named Frank Zamboni. (Zamboni is the trademarked name for the ice resurfacer, but I'm sure, no matter what brand or make is used it is known as a 'Zamboni' - rather like facial tissues are always called Kleenex.)

The NHL requires two machines to resurface the ice between periods. The ice is resurfaced before the game, after warm-ups, between periods, during playoffs, and when the game is over. With two resurfacing machines, it takes three minutes to complete the rink, each making four full passes up the ice. With one, it takes between six and seven minutes with eight full passes up the length of the ice. Before the machine was invented, it used to take over an hour with several men using scrapers, towels, hoses, and squeegees.

sharing the letter Z with Sunday Stamps